Method of forming a separator



Sept. 5, 1967 G. s. HOLMES METHOD OF FORMING A 'SEPARATOR Original Filed Oct. 22, 1965 INVENTOR cnoam: s. HOLMES BY Q 'r ORNEYS United States Patent 3,339,466 METHOD OF FORMING A SEPARATOR George 5. Holmes, Middlesex, NJ., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Original application Oct. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 317,878, now Patent No. 3,269,636, dated Aug. 30, 1966. Divided and this application Aug. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 574,415

Claims. (Cl. 93--37) This application is a division of Ser. No. 317,878 filed Oct. 22, 1963, entitled, Partition With End Panels, and now Patent No. 3,269,636, issued Aug. 30, 1966.

This invention relates to a novel method of forming a partition or separator which is particularly adapted for use within a wraparound bottle carrier, and is particularly characterized by a novel manner of applying adhesive to a separator'blank and thereafter folding the blank in a relatively simple but selective manner to form the separator.

It is relatively well known to form separators from sheet material, such as paper stock or similar material, by first cutting a separator blank to a desired configuration. Thereafter the blank may be folded in appropriate panels thereof or secured to each other as by, for example, staples, adhesive or similar conventional securing means. If, as is at times the case, a separator blank is of a complicated construction requiring intricate folding or the selective application of an adhesive to some but not all of the panels, the speed at which such separators can be manufactured is materially reduced and the total manufacturing cost is therefore necessarily increased. This is particularly true of separator blanks which must be coated with an adhesive on opposite blank surfaces, necessitating a drying step between the application of the adhesive to one surface of the blank and the subsequent application of adhesive to the opposite blank surface.

In keeping with the above it is a primary object of this invention to provide a novel method of producing a separator which avoids the latter-noted and other disadvantages of conventional processes, and permits the relatively rapid and repetitious manufacture of separators in a manner heretofore unprovided for by conventional processes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel method of forming a separator by providing a separator blank having connecting panels joined between one of a pair of partition panels and opposite end flanges along respective first and second fold lines, applying adhesive to only one surface of the one partition panel and the connecting panels, and folding the blank along the second fold lines to bring the end flanges and associated connecting panels into adhesive contacting relationship.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel method of forming a separator characterized by the steps heretofore defined, and further including the step of advancing the blank along a predetermined path in a direction in angular relationship to the first fold line, and applying the adhesive successively to one of the connecting panels, the one partition panel and the other of the connecting panels during the movement of the blank along the predtermined path.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel method of forming a separator in the manner heretofore described wherein the folding of the various panels of the separator are made along fold lines which are disposed generally parallel to the direction of the predetermined path, thereby increasing the speed of production of the separator by avoiding complicated folding operations.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of this invention will be more Patented Sept. 5, 1967 clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings:

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a separator blank, and illustrates adhesive applied to one surface of the blank prior to folding various panels thereof during the advancement of the blank along a predetermined path.

FIGURE 2 is -a top plan view of the separator blank of FIGURE 1, and illustrates one of a pair of partition pauels folded upon another of the partition panels after the adhesive has been first applied to the blank.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the blank of FIGURES 1 and 2, and illustrates the finely folded position of the separator blank after a pair of panels have been folded into abutment with adhesively coated connecting panels.

Reference is first made to FIGURE 1 of the drawings which illustrates a onepiece sheet material blank 10 from which a separator 55 (FIGURE 3) is formed. The separator 55 in FIGURE 3 of the drawing is shown in its final fabricated folded form, and reference is made to the latter-noted application for details of the erected separator and its associated wrap-around carrier, which structure forms no part of this invention.

The sheet material blank 10 is preferably formed from paper stock material, but may, for example, be constructed from plastic or other material which is relatively inexpensive, flexible and easily fabricated.

The blank 10 includes a first central partition panel or wall 11 joined to a second central partition wall or panel 12 along a longitudinal weakened line 13. The weakened line 13 includes a plurality of alternating cut and fold lines (individually unnumbered).

The second partition panel 12 is set off by the weakened line 13, a pair of identical, opposed transverse fold lines 20, 20 and a longitudinal edge 21 having a central undulatingedge portion 22.

Each of the two central partition panels 11 and 12 includes a plurality of substantially identical pairs of intermediate flanges or panel-s 23 through 26. The pairs of intermediate flanges 23 through 26 include a first flange 27 and a second flange 28. The flanges 27, 28 are joined to each other and to the central partition panels 11, 12 along fold lines 34. It should be particularly noted that the configuration of the flanges 27, 28 of the partition panel 11 is substantially identical to the configuration of the flanges 27, 28, respectively, of the panel 12. However, the flanges 27 of the panel 11 are slightly larger than the flanges 27 of the panel 12 while the flanges 28 of the panel 12 are slightly larger than the flanges 28 of the panel 11. This permits the flanges of one of the partition panels 11, 12 to be readily passed through an opening formed in the other of the central partition panels during the settingup of the separator in the manner disclosed in the latternoted application.

An identical connecting or reinforcing panel 45 is integrally joined at each transverse edge of the second partition panel 12-by a respective one of the transverse fold lines 20. Each connecting panel 45 is set off by the transverse fold line 20', a short edge 46 adjacent and parallel to the line 13, a tapered edge 47 and a longitudinal fold line 48 forming a continuation of the longitudinal edge 21 of the second partition panel 12.

An identical end flange 50 is integrally joined at each of the fold lines 48 to each of the connecting panels 45. Each of the end flanges 50 is generally octagonal in outline and is set off at one side by the transverse fol-d line 48 and a portion of the longitudinal edge 21 of the second partition panel 12. Each end flange 50 is further set off by an edge 51 spaced from and parallel to the lines 21 and 48, and a pair of spaced parallel edges 52 and 53.

The blank of FIGURE 1 is folded or erected to form the folded separator 55 of FIGURE 3 by transporting the blank 10 in a conventional manner along a predetermined path of travel which is substantially parallel to the lines 13 and 48, and normal to the transverse fold lines 20, 20 as is indicated by the broken arrows in FIG- URES 1 through 3 of the drawings. As the blank 10 is being thus conveyed along the predetermined path, three parallel bands or rows of adhesive (identified by the stipling in FIGURES l and 2,) are applied to both the second central partition panel 12 and each of the connecting panels 45, 45. The rows of adhesive can be applied to the blank 10 in any conventional manner by conventional means, as for example, by adhesive applicator rolls positioned along and slightly above the path travelled by the blank 10. A centermost of the rows of adhesive is applied along the longitudinal center line of the second central panel 12 while the adhesive of the row of adhesive on each side of the center line is applied to the end portions (unnumbered) of the flanges 27 and 28. It should be partioularly noted that the adhesive is applied but to one surface of the blank 10.

After the adhesive has been applied to the second central partition panel 12 and the connecting panels 45, 45, the first partition panel 11 is folded along the weakened line 13 to bring the first central panel 11 into overlying contact with the adhesively coated surface of the central partition panel 12, as is best illustrated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings. This, of course, brings the flanges 27 and 28 of the partition panel 11 into overlying adhesive contact with the flanges 27 and 28 of the second partition panel 12 and adhesively secures these flanges together.

Each of the end flanges 50, 50 is now folded along its associated longitudinal fold line 48 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawing. This brings each of the end flanges 50 into overlying adhesive contact with its adjacent connecting panel 45. It should be particularly noted that the first partition panel 11 overlying the adhesively coated surface of the second partition panel 12 prevents the end flanges 50, 50 from being adhesively secured to the second partition panel 12.

The folded separator FIGURE 3 may be set up once the adhesive has set by folding the end flanges 50, 50 along the transverse fold lines 20, 20 to a position substantially normal to the planes of the central panels or walls 11 and 12. The flanges 27, 28 are thereafter projected out of the planes of the respective partition panels by pivoting or fol-ding along the fold lines 34. Thereafter the separator is associated with a conventional wraparound carton and containers, such as bottles (not shown) in a known manner in which the flanges 27, 28 serve as spacers for the containers while the end flanges 50, 50 close axial opposite ends of the wrap-around carton.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provisions have been made for carrying out the desired end. However, attention is again directed to the fact that additional variations may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of forming a separator comprising the steps of providing a blank having connecting panels joined between one of a pair of partition panels and opposite end flanges along respective first and second fold lines, applying adhesive to the one partition panel and the connecting panels, and folding the blank along at least the second fold lines to bring the end flanges and associated connecting panels into adhesively contacting relationship.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 including the step of advancing the blank along a predetermined path, and applying the adhesive to the one partition panel and the connecting panels during the advancement of the blank along the predetermined path.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 including the step of advancing the blank along a predetermined path in a direction in angular relationship to the first fold line, and applying the adhesive to the one partition panel and the connecting panels during the advancement of the blank along the predetermined path.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the adhesive is applied successively to one of the connecting panels, the one partition panel and the other of the connecting panels.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the pair of partition panels are joined along a third fold line, and the partition panels are folded relative to one another about the third fold line prior to the folding of the blank along the second fold line.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 including the steps of forming separators from the material of the pair of partition panels, applying adhesive to the separators during the application of the adhesive to the one partition panel, and folding the partition panels relative to each other to bring the separators formed from the material of one of the partition panels into overlying adhesivecontacting relationship to the separators formed from the material of the other of the partition panels.

7. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the pair of partition panels are joined along a third fold line, and the partition panels are folded relative to one another about the third fold line prior to the folding of the blank along the second fold line.

8. The method as defined in claim 3 wherein the first fold line and the direction of the predetermined path of travel are generally normal to each other.

9. The method as defined in claim 5 including the steps of forming separators from the material on the pair of partition panels, and folding the partition panels relative to each other to bring the separators formed from the material of one of the partition panels into overlying relationship to the separators formed from the material of the other of the partition panels.

10. The method as defined in claim 9 wherein the adhesive is applied successively to the one connecting panel, the one partition panel and the other of the connecting panels.

BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A METHOD OF FORMING A SEPARATOR COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PROVIDING A BLANK HAVING CONNECTING PANELS JOINED BETWEEN ONE OF A PAIR OF PARTITION PANELS AND OPPOSITE END FLANGES ALONG RESPECTIVE FIRST AND SECOND FOLD LINES, APPLYING ADHESIVE TO THE ONE PARTITION PANEL AND THE THE SECOND FOLD LINES TO BRING THE END FLANGES AND ASSOCIATED CONNECTING PANELS INTO ADHESIVELY CONTACTING RELATIONSHIP. 